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If
the NSA data accumulation project is allowed to stand,
even if it has no other effect, it will tend to limit
dissent and the effectiveness of opposition politics. This
will be true even if the government never actually uses
the data. The fact that they could make use of it is what
is intimidating and that intimidation infringes on our
privacy and our well being.
If citizens believe that dissenters might someday become
political targets or scapegoats for the convenience of
criminal administrations like the one we now have, more
citizens may very well, (consciously or unconsciously),
limit their exposure to dissenters, knowing that the
government could—if it ever wanted to—trace the links
and intimidate anyone who ever associated with them.
This administration, and others before it, have already
demonstrated a propensity to pursue and punish innocent
people after "establishing their guilt" by
association. And of course those established associations
could be in the form of telephone calls, email, or visits
to web sites where a dissenter's commentaries might be
displayed.
How many people are anxious to have a secret service team
come to their home for a little interview? Can't you
anticipate the fun? "We see that you had a
relationship with this Mark Goldman person back in
2006…"
Citizens might just psychologically tune out and/or avoid
contact with potentially controversial figures without
even being aware of why they're doing it. Isn't it
reasonable to assume that the temerity we currently
observe among many citizens might be attributed to just
this phenomenon?
For example, isn't it possible that some citizens remain
silent in the face of unconscionable behavior on the part
of government for fear of the financial or social
consequences that might result? Aren't we all just a
little afraid sometimes to speak our mind for fear of
losing customers or the goodwill of those in our social
circle? Well maybe that fear is well founded, but where
does it come from?
I suggest it is purposely manufactured by those who want
us to be compliant. Employees are afraid to talk openly
about starting a union. Religion and politics are taboo
subjects in polite company. Members of congress are afraid
to speak out because they are afraid of being "swift
boated."
Power brokers are always "sending messages" and
all to often the messages they send are intended to
produce fear in the minds and hearts of recipients. This
is intimidation and this intimidation permeates the space
in which we live. That's not freedom. You can't be free
and afraid at the same time. Fear is more dangerous to
democracy than Al Qaeda is.
As a society we have been continuously intimidated since
9/11 and the NSA program is simply a ratcheting up of that
intimidation. It wouldn't surprise me if the leak of the
program's existence was anticipated. The response from
government will likely make it more difficult for whistle
blowers, and if the program is not dismantled, the
program's existence will become embedded in the
reality—consciously or unconsciously— of every
American.
Every citizen is affected because every citizen has to
live in the evolving social consciousness. Fear is a
preferred tool of tyrants and miscreants. And our current
administration of miscreants are expert at promoting lies,
instilling fear, and generally undermining civilized
behavior.
Those who came before us lost a great deal of blood trying
to put in place the civilized behavior that is now being
dismantled. To the extent we look the other way, we extend
the time we and our families will have to live our lives
in a consciousness of fear and intimidation even if no one
we know is actually being physically intimidated.
So now the question is, how do we return to a society that
is not run on a culture of fear? Well first off we have to
become aware of what is being done to the space in which
we live. Then we have to consciously confront, face down
and/or purposely ignore the fears that others intend for
us to experience in their attempt to modify our behavior.
With every act of courage a little bit of fear evaporates
and when a critical mass of citizens accept their
responsibilities of citizenship we will then begin to
erase the remaining vestiges of fear so that our children
and grandchildren will have the opportunity to once again
pursue the dream that most of us have: the dream of living
in a world of peace, freedom, justice, and true
brotherhood.
http://www.gpln.com/citizen.htm
http://www.gpln.com/savingamerica.htm
http://www.gpln.com/basicstrategy.htm
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